Portable clothes line

ABSTRACT

A portable clothes line having foldable legs able to be held in an extended position by struts which have at an upper end a traveller which slides in and along a lowermost open cavity provided by body being an elongated aluminium extrusion.

This invention relates to a portable clothes line of a type having foldable legs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I have previously developed a portable clothes stand of a type shown in my earlier patent application PCT/AU2005/000341 and my earlier patent AU 690399.

In this design, I proposed that legs at each respective end of a body would be supported by a strut the position of which could be varied by sliding along the body where in one position, it would be restrained from further travel by a releasable catch while sustaining the extended alignment of its legs with respect to the body.

This approach uses a body of hollow square cross section and of uniform shape and size along its length.

In a further position, the strut is positioned with its traveller further along the body toward the centre of the clothes line stand which is then a folded position.

The problem to which this invention is directed is to improve this design having in mind costs of manufacture, clean lines of appearance, and avoidance of intricate shapes where grime is likely to gather and be seen when using the clothes line.

An object of this invention then is provide at least some reduction in this problem or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form of this invention then, there is proposed a portable clothes line having a body, at least one leg pivotally attached to the body at or toward each end of the body, and a strut extending between the body and a respective leg or legs, the strut being pivotally attached at one end with respect to at least one of the legs or a cross member attached to the leg or legs and at a further end pivotally to a traveller, the body having a central frame member having a constant cross sectional shape and size along at least most of its length and the portion of constant cross sectional shape including a cavity with a lower most opening to outside, and the traveller to which an upper end of the strut is attached being adapted to slidably engage along the cavity with a portion at least within the cavity.

In preference, there is also within the cavity, a catch for each traveller so that there can be a releasable retention of the traveller in a position which will maintain the strut in a position so as to maintain the leg attached to the respective strut in an extended position.

In both, the catch and the traveller are adapted to be of a shape which can be slid into position from an end of the portion of the body of constant cross sectional shape.

In preference, the body has arms attached at each end in respect of the opposite directions and there are means to support a clothes line between respective arms at opposite ends of the body.

In preference, such arms are comprised of the extruded aluminium members having at least one cavity with an opening along its length within which a line support can be positioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with reference to an embodiment described with the assistance of drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in an erected position,

FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment with the legs partially folded, and

FIG. 3 shows the same embodiment with the legs fully folded,

FIG. 4 is an end view of simply the body with a traveller pivotally attached to a strut,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a catch which is to be located within the body,

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the strut with a traveller,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the body,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an upper part of the strut with the traveller,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the catch and

FIG. 10 is cross sectional view of the end of the clothes line including a traveller about to be captured by the catch and showing the pivotal connection between the legs and the strut.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings in detail, the clothes line 1 includes a body 2, and at each end outwardly extending arms 3 and 4 of one end and 5 and 6 of the other. The arms 3 and 4 at the one end and 4 and 5 at the other are joined by being a single length of extruded aluminium in each case.

Extending between the respective arms 3 and 4 at one end and the arms 5 and 6 at the other are a plurality of clothes line 7 from which clothes can be supported.

The body 2 at each end supports a set of legs 8 on one side and 9 on the other which is adapted to be held in an extended position by a strut 10 in one case and 11 in the other.

The struts 10 and 11 are each pivotally secured to a bracket 12 in one case and 13 in the other at its lower end which bracket engages and holds together the respective legs 14 and 15 of the set of legs 8 and 16 and 17 of the set of legs 9.

The body 2 has a length of extruded aluminium having thereby generally a constant cross sectional shape and size fully along its length and its internal shape includes a lower most cavity 18 with inwardly directed sides 19 and 20 so as to provide a shape whereby a traveller such as at 21 can slide therein and be interlockably engaged therein although free to slide along its length.

The body 2 further defines a closed cavity 22.

This form provides additional strength and essentially holds the two arms 19 and 20 from springing open accidentally.

The catch 23 is adapted also to fit within the cavity 18 and be interlocked therein and it is secured in position by a mutually engaging screw passing through a portion of the body 2 into the plastics material of the catch 23.

The catch 23 includes a spring loaded detent 24 whereas screen 25 maintains the respective position of the arm 24 about pivot connection 26.

This is all supported within a housing 27 which is secured to the body 2 by screw 28.

The traveller 21 has an interlocking tongue 29 which is adapted to ride over face 30 and interlock behind tooth 31.

Release can be simply effected by pressure upwardly at 32 to compress spring 25 which then opens the tooth from engagement and releases the traveller 21 for passage of the pivotally supported strut to assume a folded position.

A lower end of the strut shown at 11 in this instance is pivotally supported about axis 34 which is secured to the bracket 13 as previously described which holds the respective legs 16 and 17 as a set of legs 9.

An end of the body 2 is held within a plastic molding 35 where the respective arms 5 and 6 in this case are supported at an inner end and where there is a pivotal connection 16 and 17 are pivotally supported at their upper end to the body.

An advantage of this arrangement is firstly that most of the working mechanisms are visually hidden and therefore the overall appearance presents a very modern and streamlined look but more specifically, there are minimal locations for gathering of grime or dust.

Further however, surfaces that might interengage and therefore be complex visually are not also visually prominent and further, in terms of manufacturing ease and costs, given that the traveller and catch and housing of this can be manufactured from plastics material as well as the line support using a similar technique for the respective arms, means that the manufacture and especially for assembly becomes very convenient indeed. 

1. A portable clothes line comprising: a body; at least one leg pivotally attached to the body at or toward each end of the body; and a strut extending between the body and a respective leg or legs; wherein the strut is pivotally attached at one end with respect to at least one of the legs or a cross member attached to the leg or legs and at a further end pivotally to a traveller, wherein the body has a central frame member having a constant cross sectional shape and size along at least most of its length, wherein the portion of constant cross sectional shape comprises a cavity with a lower most opening to outside, and wherein the traveller to which an upper end of the strut is attached is configured to slidably engage along the cavity with a portion at least within the cavity.
 2. A portable clothes line as in claim 1, having within the cavity, a catch for the or each traveller providing a releasable retention of the traveller in a position which will maintain the strut in a position so as to maintain the leg or legs in an extended position.
 3. A portable clothes line as in claim 1, wherein both the catch, and the traveller are a shape and size which can be slid into position from an end of the body portion of constant cross sectional shape.
 4. A portable clothes line as in claim 1, wherein the body has arms attached at each end in respect of the opposite directions and there are means to support a clothes line between respective arms at opposite ends of the body.
 5. A portable clothes line as in claim 4, wherein each arm has an extruded aluminum member having at least one cavity with an opening along its length within which a line support can be positioned.
 6. A portable clothes line as in claim 1, further characterized in that the central frame member is comprised of an elongate member of extruded aluminum.
 7. A portable clothes line as in claim 1, further characterized in that the central frame member has a further cavity above the first mentioned cavity.
 8. A portable clothes line as in claim 2, wherein both the catch, and the traveller are a shape and size which can be slid into position from an end of the body portion of constant cross sectional shape.
 9. A portable clothes line as in claim 2, wherein the body has arms attached at each end in respect of the opposite directions and there are means to support a clothes line between respective arms at opposite ends of the body.
 10. A portable clothes line as in claim 9, wherein each arm has an extruded aluminum member having at least one cavity with an opening along its length within which a line support can be positioned.
 11. A portable clothes line as in claim 3, wherein the body has arms attached at each end in respect of the opposite directions and there are means to support a clothes line between respective arms at opposite ends of the body.
 12. A portable clothes line as in claim 11, wherein each arm has an extruded aluminum member having at least one cavity with an opening along its length within which a line support can be positioned. 